SENCO & Designated Tchr for LAC – Nov 16

Job Description

Job Title

/ SENCO & Designated Teacher for Looked After Children / Grade / TLR1b (1c for an exceptional candidate

School

/ Oaks Park High School

Reports to

/ Assistant Headteacher, Inclusion

Responsible for

/ Line Managing teaching staff, teaching assistants, other staff within the Department and external providers.

Liaising with

/ Headteacher/Deputy & Assistant Headteachers, Heads of Year/Team Leaders/ relevant support staff/ LEA staff and parents/carers.

SECTION A

Knowledge/Skills/Expertise

  • Keep up to date with developments in relation to all aspects of SEND and LAC.
  • Keep up to date with developments in pedagogy and how they can be applied to learning in the curriculum.
  • Keep up to date with inspection and data return requirements and share this knowledge and expertise with colleagues.
  • Develop ICT skills to ensure their integration into the school at all levels.
  • Be committed to professional development.

Areas of Responsibility and Accountability

  • Promote high standards of teaching and learning throughout the department.
  • Raise standards of student attainment and achievement within the whole curriculum and monitor and support student progress.
  • Develop and enhance the teaching practice of others.
  • Ensure the provision of an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for students in accordance with the aims of the school and curricular policies determined by the Governing Body and the Headteacher.
  • Be accountable for leading, managing and developing the curriculum area.
  • Effectively manage and deploy support staff and financial and physical resources within the department to support students.
  • Ensure that the department carries out an annual self-evaluation and contributes to the overall evaluation of the school.
  • Set and mark appropriate written work according to department and school policy.
  • Analyse performance data and use the results as a basis for improvement.
  • Provide support to colleagues in the implementation of the school’s Behaviour Policy.
  • Plan, prepare and teach assigned lessons to students according to their educational needs.

Staffing/Personnel:

  • Participate in the school’s Performance Management arrangements as a TeamLeader.
  • Provide Inset to colleagues and across the school staff, as required.
  • Ensure that the department supports school programmes for NQTs and BTs.
  • Provide the Headteacher with advice on threshold, upper pay spine, references, promotion and other staff issues.
  • Assist the Headteacher with Capability Procedures as and when necessary.
  • Deploy staff in accordance with timetable requirements.
  • Be responsible for the efficient and effective deployment of support staff within the department.
  • Make appropriate arrangements for classes when staff are absent.
  • Participate in the interview process for teaching/support staff posts when required and ensure effective induction of new staff in line with school procedures.
  • Ensure that effective procedures are in place to communicate school policies to team members.
  • Chair departmental meetings and ensure that a list of action points is produced.

Supporting the School:

  • Contribute to the development of school policy.
  • Ensure representation of the department on school working parties.
  • Represent the department at appropriate meetings within the school.
  • Be responsible for the strategic development of inclusion within the school. Contribute to school liaison and marketing activities, e.g. material for prospectuses; attendance at Open Evenings.
  • Attend all Parents’Evenings as appropriate.
  • Provide information to the Governing Body as requested.
  • Support, promote and contribute to the development of the vision, goals and aims of the school.
  • Promote equality of opportunity throughout the school.
Resources:
  • Ensure that accommodation within the department is maintained to provide the best possible learning environment for students.
  • Manage the departmental budget, acting as a cost centre holder and keeping appropriate records.
  • Ensure that the department obtains ‘value for money’ when ordering equipment and stock.
  • Ensure that the department holds an up-to-date inventory of equipment.
Health and Safety:
  • Ensure that risk assessments are carried out within your teaching area.
  • Ensure that Health and Safety policies and procedures are in place and adhered to.
Teaching
  • Undertake an appropriate programme of teaching in accordance with the duties of a standard scale teacher.

SECTION B

Specific Responsibilities for the role of SENCO and Designated Teacher for Looked After Children:

The Curriculum Access Department has responsibility for students with SEND and medical needs and the effective implementation of the SEND Code of Practice 2015 (or preceding versions).
In addition to Section A, this section of the job description includes leading the Curriculum Access Department to raise achievement of all SEND students through:
  1. Maintenance and analysis of the school provision map for vulnerable learners (including SEND, medical need and other identified students).
  2. Identifying on this provision map a staged list of students with Special Educational Need, including those in receipt of additional SEND support from the school’s devolved budget; in receipt of High Needs funding and with statements of Special Educational Need or Education Health and Care plans.
  3. Coordinating provision for students with Special Educational Needs/Disabilities.
  4. Coordinating mental health provision via internal support and external agencies.
  5. Ensuring that all support provision is monitored and evaluated to maintain maximum impact and value for money.
  6. Liaising with and advising teachers as appropriate.
  7. Managing other classroom staff involved in supporting vulnerable learners.
  8. Overseeing the records for all students with Special Educational Needs/Disabilities.
  9. Working in partnership with parents of students with SEND, in conjunction with class teachers.
  10. Contributing to the in-service training of staff.
  11. Implementing a programme of annual review for all students with a statement of Special Educational Need or Education, Health and Care Plans and complying with requests from external Education Health and Care Plan Coordinators to participate in a review.
  12. Carrying out referral procedures to the Local Authority to request High Needs funding and/or an Education, Health and Care Plan when it is suspected, on strong evidence arising from previous intervention (additional SEND support from devolved budget), that a student may have a Special Educational Need which will require significant support.
  13. Overseeing the smooth running of transition arrangements and transfer of information for students from Year 6 to 7 who are listed as SEND.
  14. Monitoring the departmental system for ensuring that student one page profiles have a high profile in the classroom and with students.
  15. Regularly evaluating the impact and effectiveness of all additional interventions for students with Special Educational Needs.
  16. Meeting with teachers to review and revise learning objectives for all SEND students in their class who are being tracked on the provision map.
  17. Working closely and sensitively with parents and families of students on the SEND register, keeping them informed of progress and listening to their views on progress in regular meetings.
  18. Attending area SENCO network meetings and training as appropriate.
  19. Liaising with the school’s SEND/Inclusion Governor, keeping him/her informed of current issues regarding provision for those with Special Educational Needs/Disabilities & Children who are Looked After (nationally, locally and within school).
  20. Liaising closely with a range of outside agencies to support students with SEND.
  21. Maintaining the school’s SEND register and overseeing the records of all students with SEND.
  22. Attending, and where applicable chairing, Student Support Panel meetings; presenting any specific reports on students appearing before the Panel and advising attending staff on next steps for specific students.
  23. Establishing quantitative and qualitative targets against which the effectiveness of the department may be monitored and evaluated.
  24. Meeting with in-year admissions students to further identify needs and refer to appropriate support or programmes.
  25. Establishing and analysing baseline data for in-year admissions with SEND needs and making appropriate recommendations.
  1. Contributing to the school’s Promoting Equality, SEND and Inclusion Policies and SEND information report to ensure they meet all necessary requirements.
  2. Liaising with the Exams Officer to coordinate access arrangements for exams at KS3, 4 and 5.
  3. Providing a programme of continuing professional development and ongoing advice and guidance on SEND/Inclusion-related areas for all Teaching Assistants/Teachers.
  4. Overseeing provision and support for Looked After Children as Designated Teacher.
Whilst every effort has been made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the post, every individual task may not have been identified.
The job description is current at the date shown; howeverit may, in joint consultation with the Headteacher, be changed to reflect or anticipate changes in the job commensurate with the grade and the job title.

Person Specification

Job Title / SENCO & Designated Teacher for Looked After Children / Grade / TLR1b (1c for an exceptional candidate
School / Oaks Park High School
Essential/ Desirable
Qualifications /
  • First degree or equivalent in the relevant subject(s).
/ E
  • Qualified teacher status.
/ E
  • Recent and relevant professional development.
/ E
  • Relevant SENCO qualification completed / underway / willing to undertake.
/ E
  • Level 7 qualification in individual specialist assessment or equivalent qualification to carry out Access Arrangements assessments.
/ D
Experience /
  • Good teaching which impacts positively on student progress.
/ E
  • A broad knowledge of relevant curriculum areas at Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 including a sound understanding of assessment and monitoring.
/ E
  • Experience in the use of data, tracking and target setting to raise attainment at individual student and cohort level and identify performance.
/ E
  • Direct experience of managing a budget and resources.
/ D
  • Experience of team leadership and team building.
/ D
  • Proven administrative and organisational skills.
/ E
  • Awareness of and contribution to the administration of access arrangements.
/ D
  • Significant experience as a Middle Leader (Head of Subject / Head of Year or Key Stage Coordinator).
/ E
Knowledge &
Skills /
  • Commitment to and knowledge/experience of effective strategies to maintain and raise achievement.
/ E
  • Knowledge of current national initiatives, including the new SEND Code of Practice.
/ E
  • An understanding of target setting and improvement planning.
/ E
  • The ability to think and work strategically and with vision.
/ E
  • An understanding of the principles of management and leadership, with an ability to engage others and the ability/potential to lead a team to achieve its goals.
/ E
  • Awareness of staff professional development and enthusiasm to deliver and promote ongoing staff training.
/ E
  • Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with a range of audiences.
/ E
Safeguarding /
  • Motivation to work with children and young people.
/ E
  • Ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with children and young people.
/ E
  • Emotional resilience in working with challenging behaviours.
/ E
Essential/ Desirable
Personal
Qualities and
Attributes /
  • Commitment to the aims and values of comprehensive education, the school’s vision and ethos and the implementation of its Equal Opportunities Policy and practice.
/ E
  • Willingness to initiate and participate in both cross-curricular and extra-curricular activities, as well as demonstrating successful involvement in all aspects of school life.
/ E
  • Ability to establish effective and appropriate relationships with students.
/ E
  • Ability to relate well to parents, external agencies and the wider community.
/ E
  • Flexibility, ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
/ E
  • A reflective practitioner who responds to change positively.
/ E
  • Understanding of the importance of professionalism and confidentiality.
/ E
  • A commitment to being a role model for staff and students in relation to overall conduct to include the following: dress code, attendance and timekeeping.
/ E
  • The potential for further promotion and a commitment to career development.
/ E